Bare bones cheap system

[JFire]

I've decided it's time for Cameras. Nuisance/petty crime has gone up in the hood lalely. The local junkies and vandals know I'm affiliated with law enforcement and my property has been spared to date.

I'm a single income family and budgets are tight so I'll be piecemealing a system as I go. From my browsing it seems you guys are big on 3mp or more Cameras. I can't afford those and are looking at the cheap 1mp. I'm going to go poe and run it off the PC for now. NVR will be my last purchase. I plan on up to 8 Cameras maybe more I'll figure it out as I go.

Questions:
1. Does anyone have experience using the mini 4 or 8 ch nvr's available on eBay or Ali?
2. Best free software available for PC?
3. Can someone post same view pics at different mp? I just want to see the difference before I do the 1mps and don't want to regret it.
4. Anyone recently upgrade their cameras and want to unload their old stuff?

 

[Del Boy]

There's a big difference between decent 720p and cheap 720p, bear that in mind (decent 720p > cheap 1080p). People think 3MP is the holy-grail but alot of us run our 3MP cameras at 2MP! It's just the quality of the image from these cameras is far better than cheaper stuff.

If your budget can stretch than it might be worth looking into Dahua HFW 2100 (which can be found for $60 each). These are 1.3MP (720p / 1280x960) and have great night-vision. Videos here but better to buy from Ali.

This isn't the right kit for you but you can see how good 720p can be in the videos. It's easily double if not 4x better than cheap and nasty 960h analog.

Can't help you with 2 or 4 sorry.

 

[ruppmeister]

If you are looking at one camera purchase at a time, I would go with Hikvision or Dahua cams and forget the cheap 1 MP cams altogether if you can. It really isn't that much more for something decent at 3 or 4 MP when you compare to the junk 1 MP.

I would do the Hikvision Turret 2332 or the Dahua 4 MP Turret IPC-HDW4421C

Look around the forum here for reviews and samples of both of these cameras and decide for yourself. Both Hikvision (iVMS 4200) and Dahua (Smart PSS) have free CMS software to get you started. Also, stay away from the mini DVRs, they are crap.

Last, look to @milkisbad or Nelly's, both on the forum here if you are wanting US based support and/or warranty.

 

[Del Boy]

I'd obviously recommend 2332 and HDW4421C but if OP can't afford, then he can't afford! And not all 1MP stuff is crap. The HFW2100 is not crap. More megapixels doesn't always mean better quality... although generally with the Hikvision and Dahua stuff this is true.

If your budget is sub $60 a camera you need to look at some decent 720p ones. $60 then HFW2100. $85 then Hikvision 3MP and $100 then Dahua 4MP.

Obviously 720p < Hik 3MP =< Dahua 4MP for both quality and cost!

I'm with ruppmeister though... save up if you can.

 

[ruppmeister]

OP did say he was wanting to go with the "cheap 1mp" cams, which historically are junk. But that is neither here nor there.

OP - save up and do it right from the beginning.

 

[JFire]

Thanks for all the replies and info guys. I'll look into the hfw2100 and the others as well. If the difference is 20$ a camera or so I'll just wait a lil longer between purchase and go with better.

 

[Del Boy]

If the difference is 20$ a camera or so I'll just wait a lil longer between purchase and go with better.

^This. I only recommend HFW2100 for a cheaper low-light solution.

 

[JFire]

^This. I only recommend HFW2100 for a cheaper low-light solution.

What's the difference between the p and S model? Both claim poe then some S say poe support which I assume means you need the poe piece to attach.

 

[Del Boy]

AFAIK all of the versions have PoE - which means one wire install - just the Cat5 cable.

Not sure difference between P and S sorry.

 

[JFire]

Anyone familiar with the hdw4120s?

 

[Del Boy]

I'm not but for $58, I think it will be great value.

Best to start out with one camera and see how that goes I think.

 

[Biggs]

How about this Hikvision 1.0MP (720P) DS-2CD2410F-IW?

http://www.ascentech.net/img/products/tbt5-ds-2cd2410f-iw.pdf

It's a lower end version of the popular DS-2CD2432F-IW.